Dark future for coal

India is pushing for more coal-based power generation but recent reports raise serious concerns over the viability of coal-fired plants

India’s coal-based power plants have doubled in capacity over the past two Plan periods between 2002 and 2012 and currently stands at 160 gigawatt or GW (60 per cent of total). We rank third in the world behind China and the US in terms of coal-based power generation. Large reserves coupled with favorable economics have spurred capacity addition in coal power over the past decade. In 2012, the Planning Commission (now replaced by NITI Ayog) had forecast that capacity addition will continue at this robust pace and almost double again by 2022.